Norfolk Va.

                                                                                                                        Oct 2^nd 1863

 

My Dear Wife

                        Again another delay before ans’g. your letter but this one has been unavoidable owing to our moving We are doing Provost Duty in Norfolk now We moved here day before yesterday I like nearly all the rest was loth to leave Portsmouth for I had made a number of acquaintences & it was getting quite pleasant to be there. The 148^th N.Y. which was doing duty in this place took our place in Portsmouth but now they have been ordered into the field the 11^th C.V. takes this place/

 

We have better quarters here than we had in Portsmouth Norfolk especialy John & me. We are not in the building with the Co. We have 2 nice rooms front & back both of a size & folding doors between them the front room we use for a setting room & the rear room for lodging I, thought, should not like this place but do quite well. It is a bad place for some of the boy but “I reckon” there is one that can take care of himself; We came here because we were the best Regt I have heard we had got to go to Fts. Monroe on the same account I tell you it makes one/feel proud to belong to the best Regt. in the Dep’t. Which the 21^st is acknowledged by all to be. Some times I wish we were in the field. It is so expensive to live in the city, if one keeps any kind of an appearance; and a Non Commissioned officer has got to or go down. If the rooms we have were only furnished there would be plenty of room for us to keep house. Perhaps when John gets promoted & leaves me I will send for you darling. If I can get the rooms furnished we can live quite cheap I have been to the theatre since since we have been here/

 

Hawkins just called. He keeps himself on a high key but by and by something will break & he will run down He takes less than a week ago received two month pay $210 & yesterday was obliged to draw a month in advance not having five dollars left. Enclose I send to day a Soldiers Memorial We had them got up for the Co. I thought they would be a very good thing for future reference I would give much to be with you, or to have you with me but God wills it otherwise for the present & so my darling good bye for the present.

 

Excuse the haste in which this has been written

                                                            Court

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